242 THE GREAT THIRST LAND. 



to-do ; still there was that utter want of cleanliness and 

 thrift that I have noticed in other of the farmers' 

 dwellings. 



A curious habit prevails here : the males all sit down 

 to table together, the females waiting upon them, and 

 not commencing their meal till the former have retired. 

 In this there appears to me a great want of sociability, 

 and a deficiency of etiquette to the fair sex. If such 

 custom were introduced at home, it would produce a 

 revolution in the land. 



As there was a blacksmith and wheelwright here, I 

 had my wagon overhauled, as it would be my last chance 

 to replace any portion of it that might be out of order. 

 This was done, and no charge made for the service, 

 as no breakage was discovered. 



After dinner all the men went out to shoot, possibly 

 to show the stranger how expert they were with the 

 rifle. The funnel-shaped ant-hills previously described 

 were the targets, but the practice was anything but 

 brilliant. I invariably refuse to enter into such 

 contests : firstly, I am not a Wimbledon champion ; 

 secondly, they often lead to jealousies and bickerings ; 

 so I declined firing till actually obliged to do so. The 

 first shot I made was a fair one, grazing the side of the 

 target, the second cut it in two, thus beating my rivals. 

 That they did not like it was apparent in all but 

 Mr. Fayune, who laughed most heartily at my success, 

 and unremittingly chaffed the vanquished at their 

 defeat. Of course this was a piece of luck no more 

 for doubtless any of them could have beaten me in a 

 regular trial. 



My Martini-Henry at once became an object of 

 great admiration, and the short barrel elicited much 



